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You obviously know that Ibiza is the “party capital of the world,” but do you also know that it has fantastic beaches, fascinating old towns, and important historical landmarks and museums?
Learning more about the less-known draws of this distinguished island will surely help you to decide where to stay in Ibiza, and we’re here to help you out. Let us be your guide!
The 3 Best Parts of Ibiza
The three largest towns on the island are significantly different from each other, but all of them offer the same things to an extent and have a wide range of potential accommodations.
They include:
- Ibiza Town: The capital of Ibiza, located in close proximity to the airport and boasting a vibrant nightlife and rich history, it’s the perfect choice for first-time visitors.
- Sant Antoni de Portmany: The second largest city on Ibiza, it’s famous for its fantastic beaches, great nightclubs, and the cheapest accommodation options on the island.
- Santa Eulària: The third largest city on the island offers a bunch of beautiful beaches and an interesting old town; it’s the perfect place for a family-friendly vacation.
The Best Areas & Hotels in Ibiza
As one of the major tourist hubs in both Europe and the world, Ibiza is packed with different kinds of hotels, hostels, and resorts. The three largest cities on the island are no exception to this general fact. But, there are some differences between the things they have to offer.
Ibiza Town, for starters, is probably the most expensive of the three. It’s full of luxurious five-star and four-star hotels, with a lot of adult-exclusive accommodations.
But if you’re persistent enough, you can also manage to find something cheaper. However, if finding inexpensive accommodation is your top priority, opt for Sant Antoni de Portmany and Santa Eulària.
The latter is also more family-friendly. For young people who simply want to party but do so without breaking the bank, San Antonio is the best option.
1.Ibiza Town
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There’s no better place to spend your first trip in Ibiza than in Ibiza town, the absolute center of the island. Located on a hill right by the sea, it may remind you of other Mediterranean island towns like Corfu City or Heraklion on Crete.
It offers an interesting combination of history and modernity, famous landmarks from the past, and some of the best nightclubs in the whole world.
The first thing you should know about Ibiza Town is that it’s roughly divided into an old town (Dalt Vila) and a modern town (Eixample). If you’re interested in culture and history, the old town offers a labyrinth of small cobbled streets and historical landmarks scattered on all sides.
The most important are the following ones:
- Castell de Eivissa (or Ibiza Castle), the main defense of the city in the past.
- Santa Maria d’Eivissa (or Ibiza Cathedral), the main religious building in the city, dating back to the 13th century.
- Necropolis del Puig des Molins, a former Islamic property and an archeological museum full of Phoenician artifacts.
Aside from the splendor of historical artifacts and landmarks, the old town is packed with numerous cafes, nightclubs, restaurants, and fabulous panoramic views. Simply put, it’s the best place for making memories.
Don’t worry, we didn’t forget the nightlife — the thing most people look for in Ibiza. The four most famous clubs are Pacha, Amnesia, Space, and Ushuaïa.
There are many more, but these four are usually the end-all, be-all in regard to the best parties on the island and even the whole world. In terms of accommodation, Ibiza Town has something to offer regardless of your preferences or needs.
It’s packed with very cheap budget hotels, as well as expensive and luxurious five-star accommodations. Most of them are particularly suitable for couples.
Things to Do
- We didn’t talk about beaches so far since Ibiza Town itself is not so famous in that regard, however, there are still some good ones.
- Platja Des Cavallet, for instance, would be our number one choice, located to the south of the city, packed with bars and restaurants and great parties. It’s also close to some very important historical and cultural landmarks (Antiga Pedrera s. XVI, Torre de ses Portes, and Platja des Cavallet). You should also know that this particular beach is very gay-friendly.
- Most of the visitors visit Ibiza for its world-famous and exciting nightlife. Some of the best-known nightclubs, cafes, and discos in the world are located in the city. We mentioned the oldest and the most famous ones, but let us add a few more: The Rock Bar Ibiza, Sa Trinxa Beach Bar, S’Escalinata, DADO BAR IBIZA, and San Bar Ciriaco all offer varying entertainment for all affinities.
- History buffs will have their hands full in the old town of Ibiza. Aside from its beautiful cobbled streets that’ll inspire the potential stroller to explore all of its secret nooks, there are a few important landmarks that are worth visiting.
- Castell de Eivissa is probably the most interesting attraction;
- Santa Maria d’Eivissa is the most important and central religious building in the city;
- Necropolis del Puig des Molins is full of artifacts stretching back to the ancient and mysterious Phoenician culture.
- One more thing you should do is to take a walk down to Puerto de Ibiza. The port of the city is beautiful in itself, it’s great for strolling, and it offers some unforgettable photo backdrops. If you are interested in opulent yachts, this is also where you’ll see them. In addition, the place is packed with restaurants and cafes where you can enjoy some great seafood and traditional Spanish specialties.
Where to Eat
- La Gaia by Oscar Molina is definitely one of the best restaurants in Ibiza, boasting both a Michelin star and a 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best selection. Offering an interesting and complex Mediterranean cuisine, with a lot of seafood options like oysters, it also has plenty of vegan and vegetarian specialties.
- Junglebowls is a contemporary Hawaiian and Japanese fusion restaurant that was selected as the 2022 Travelers’ Choice. Famous for its creative, unexpected, and very healthy eating options, it also has a very professional and friendly staff and offers takeaway. The salads are particularly famous.
- Empanadas Malvón is a contemporary Argentinian restaurant located in the center of the city, and it also has a 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection. Offering a rich and varied menu, it’ll satisfy the taste buds of both voracious meat eaters (given the delectable steaks) and vegans and vegetarians.
Ibiza Town Budget Hotels
- Hotel Vibra Vila is a decent and very cheap two-star hotel located less than a mile from the historic center of Ibiza Town and very close to the famous Figueretas Beach. It offers a small rooftop pool with a lot of sunbeds, free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour desk, and a nice breakfast in the morning.
- Hostal Costa Blanca is a cheap three-star hotel with a great location, again very close to Figueretas Beach. It offers a beautiful view of the sea, family-friendly premises, and a generally relaxed and calm atmosphere. Particularly suitable for couples, it has clean rooms with private bathrooms and cable TV.
Ibiza Town Mid-Range Hotels
- Apartamentos Vibra Panoramic is a great three-star hotel located around ten minutes from Ibiza Town’s historical center. It offers private parking, free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool, non-smoking family rooms with coffee and tea facilities, a bar on the premises, and a tasty breakfast in the morning.
- Hotel Apartamentos Vibra Lux Mar is another great three-star hotel located in close proximity to the city center and to the famous Figueretas Beach. It offers an outdoor swimming pool, a terrace with free sunbeds, private parking and free Wi-Fi, and a very beautiful bar on the premises.
Ibiza Town Luxury Hotels
- The Standard, Ibiza – Adults Only is a luxurious five-star hotel located in the utmost center of Ibiza, offering every amenity and service you can think of. Being an adults-only hotel, it’s particularly suitable for young couples. It offers an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, an on-site restaurant and a bar, professional room service, and superb breakfast.
- Sir Joan Hotel is another very expensive and luxurious five-star hotel located in the center of Ibiza Town. Although not an adult-only hotel, it’s still rather fitting for couples, boasting a swimming pool, private parking and Wi-Fi, a bar on the premises, facilities for disabled guests, and an airport shuttle service.
2. Sant Antoni de Portmany
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The second location is not incidentally on our list just because it’s the second largest city in Ibiza. Sant Antoni de Portmany, better known to tourists as simply San Antonio, has fantastic beaches, interesting landmarks, superb nightclubs, and significantly cheaper accommodation options in comparison to Ibiza Town.
A small fishing village for centuries, it rose into prominence in the 1950s, when a bunch of hotels were opened and when tourists started to pour in like a tropical rain.
Today San Antonio is as vibrant as any other place on Ibiza, simply lacking the posh of the island’s capital center — but only to an extent. Let’s start with the beaches because it’s always sunny in… San Antonio. Simply put, there’s no day that’s not a beach day.
Here are our favorites — in no particular order — all of them equally sunny, sandy, and fun:
- Cala Saladeta
- Cala Bassa
- Playa Cala Salada
- Cala Gracio
Aside from the beaches, one of the most visited places in San Antonio, located close to Calo Gracio beach, is Aquarium Cap Blanc. It’s a beautiful aquarium located in a natural cave that offers a real educational show, featuring many known and unknown tenants of the sea.
It’s also the perfect place for a family afternoon. We mentioned family, but that doesn’t mean that San Antonio is an exclusive place for a family-friendly vacation — quite the contrary.
Some of the best clubs on the island are located here, as San Antonio is also a major nightlife hub. We recommend Plastik Ibiza, Es Paradis, and Play 2. Moreover, San Antonio is the most budget-friendly option when you consider Ibiza as a whole.
It offers a wide range of cheap two-star hotels and hostels and even more decent and not-so-expensive three-star options. If you’re looking for a cheaper vacation or you just prefer to spend your money in nightclubs or at the beach, San Antonio is the perfect choice for you.
Things to Do
- San Antonio is an obvious choice for any visitor who wants to spend their time in Ibiza either lying on the beach or swimming in the sea. We already mentioned the four most popular and visited beaches, but here are three more in close proximity that are equally great: Cala d’Aubarca, Platja de S’Arenal, and Caló Des Moro.
- We mentioned that San Antonio isn’t far behind in terms of nightlife when we compare it to Ibiza Town; well, in some aspects, it may even lead the race. Here are some of the best clubs and cafes in the city — the choice is yours since all of them are great:
- The city of San Antonio is not as rich in historical and cultural landmarks as Ibiza Town, but (as there’s always a “but”) there are a few interesting things you have to visit.
- The Egg is a monument to Christopher Columbus and his “discovery of America” since he was allegedly born in this village.
- Slingshot Ibiza, located right on the city beach, is a great way to have fun, just like in a water park.
- There’s also the main religious building in the city called Església San Antonio.
Where to Eat
- Tapas Ibiza offers a combination of European, Spanish, and international cuisine. It’s a restaurant that has a very versatile and large menu located in the utmost center of the city. A 2022 Travelers’ Choice selection, we highly recommend its seafood and tapas, but the meat is also great. Don’t forget the cheesecake for dessert!
- Sushimi is a Japanese fusion restaurant, mostly famous for its sushi, seafood, and a lot of healthy options. It’s a small place with a relaxed atmosphere, very reasonable prices, and lightning-fast service. It also offers a lot of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
- El Bistro de Stephan San Antonio Ibiza is a French, Spanish, and Mediterranean restaurant that was selected as the 2022 Travelers’ Choice. Again, a versatile restaurant where you can order both tapas and octopus, as well as lamb or goat cheese. Their wine is simply lovely.
Sant Antoni de Portmany Budget Hotels
- Hotel Florencio Ibiza is a very cheap but decent two-star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool. Most of its rooms have a balcony, and all of them have free Wi-Fi and air conditioning. There’s a restaurant and a bar on the premises, as well as a very good breakfast.
- Hostal Marí is a very cheap two-star hotel that’s a perfect choice for every budget traveler visiting San Antonio. It offers a bar and a Mediterranean restaurant, cheerful and colorful rooms, and free Wi-Fi throughout the premises. The hostel also boasts a perfect location, right in the center of the city.
Sant Antoni de Portmany Mid-Range Hotels
- Aparthotel Fleming 50 – Adults Only is a great and not very expensive three-star hotel that’s perfect for couples. It offers an outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant, and a bar on the premises. There’s free parking in front of the hotel and free Wi-Fi throughout the accommodation.
- Hotel Gran Sol is a relatively cheap three-star hotel located very close to the Caló d’es Moro Beach. It offers a large outdoor swimming pool and a sun terrace that’s perfect for relaxing and sunbathing. There’s also a bar and a restaurant on the premises, as well as a great breakfast in the morning.
Sant Antoni de Portmany Luxury Hotels
- OKU Ibiza is a very luxurious but quite expensive five-star hotel that has no less than two swimming pools. It also has a fitness center, a spa and wellness center, a garden, a restaurant, and a bar on the premises. Finally, along with all the amenities you can think of, it also offers free parking, room service, and facilities for disabled guests.
- The Signature Level at TRS Ibiza Hotel is a very expensive five-star hotel and probably the most upscale accommodation option in San Antonio. Exclusively available for couples, it has three swimming pools, a spa and wellness center, a location on the beachfront, a bar, and a restaurant on its premises. If you’re looking for the crème de la crème, look no further.
3. Santa Eulària
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We are going to finish this guide with the third largest town in Ibiza called — in its full name — Santa Eulària des Riu. You can also find it as Santa Eulalia, but that’s only a difference between the Catalan name of the city and the Spanish.
It’s located just nine miles to the north of Ibiza Town and about five miles further from Ibiza Airport, so it’s quite easy to reach. Interestingly enough, it’s the only town in Ibiza with a river running through it.
Santa Eulària is further away from the busiest crowds on the island, which is why it’s usually recommended as a family-friendly place, and we think that that assessment is quite correct.
The central and one of the oldest buildings in the city is the Ajuntament (town hall).
All around it are pedestrian streets filled with restaurants, cafes and, shops; in front of the building, there’s a beautiful fountain, and behind it, an important statue dedicated to a fisherman who saved a lot of people from a dangerous shipwreck.
However, definitely the biggest architectural attraction is the Puig de Missa, also known as the The Parish Church of Santa Eulària. This church that looks like a fortress is a true sight to behold.
Located 50 meters higher than the city, it offers probably the best panoramic view of the city, as well as an authentic taste of its 700-year-old history. Like most of the cities and villages in Ibiza, one of the central places in Santa Eularia is the Marina Santa Eulalia.
It’s a great place for strolling, taking pictures, or just marveling at the deep blue sea. Lovers of yachts and boats are going to have the time of their life since hundreds of them are always parked at the marina.
Santa Eulària offers a wide range of accommodation options, much like Ibiza Town and San Antonio.
There are a bunch of cheap two-star options, numerous three-star hotels, and more than enough expensive and luxurious options. The same holds for the restaurants, but the best food is definitely served in the seafood restaurants.
Things to Do
- We didn’t talk at all about the beaches in Santa Eulària or in the wider area, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any. All of them are heavenly, as is customary on Ibiza. Here are the most famous ones:
- Playa de Es Figueral,
- Playa de Es Canar,
- Cala de S’Aigua Blanca,
- Caló de S’Algar,
- Cala Olivera,
- Playa De Santa Eulalia.
- Santa Eulària’s marina comes with other perks and benefits as well, such as numerous boat and ferry tours around the area. We recommend that you join the famous Santa Eulalia Ferry (a 2022 Travelers’ Choice) and let them take you on a trip to the beautiful and authentic Pitiusas islands located just to the south of Ibiza. The trip is not very long and tiring, and it’s worth every second of the experience.
- Finally, if you’re interested in history and culture, make sure you stroll the beautiful streets of the city and discover everything that it has to offer. Start from the center, check out the beautiful Ajuntament (town hall), and then continue walking through the small streets of Santa Eulària. The culmination, of course, is the church/fortress called Puig de Missa, better known to tourists as The Parish Church of Santa Eulària. Dating back between 700 and 500 years, it’s a lasting monument to the history of this part of Spain.
Where to Eat
- Marytierra is a Mediterranean and European seafood restaurant that boasts a selection in that rare category called Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best. It offers everything on your plate that lives in the sea, from octopus, lobster, and prawn to fresh fish and seafood salads. But there are also other meat options, like scrumptious pork.
- The Prince Albert is a famous British bar and gastropub that’s a great option for a relaxed night out. Boasting a unique and very stylish exterior and interior, it was selected as the 2022 Travelers’ Choice. We recommend the fish and chips, the burger, and the burrito.
- Restaurante Sa Finca offers a combination of international, Mediterranean, and generally European cuisines, and it was been selected as the 2022 Travelers’ Choice. A great choice for a fancy night out, it’s particularly suitable for anniversaries, birthdays, or other special occasions.
Santa Eulària Budget Hotels
- azuLine Hotel Mediterráneo is a very cheap two-star hotel that’s located around five minutes from the city center and 350 meters from the famous Santa Eulàlia des Ríu. It offers an outdoor swimming pool, a bar and a restaurant on the premises, as well as free WI-Fi and a nice breakfast.
- Hostal Santa Eulalia is an incredibly cheap but quite decent two-star hotel, a perfect choice for every potential budget visitor to Santa Eularia. Boasting a great location, just five minutes from the beach, it also offers free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, air-conditioned rooms, and private bathrooms.
Santa Eulària Mid-Range Hotels
- Apartamentos Parot Quality is a three-star accommodation both very close to the marina and the beach. There’s a restaurant and a bar on the premises, as well a lounge, free Wi-Fi, and non-smoking family rooms with TVs, air conditioning, and private bathrooms.
- Apartamentos Los Arcos is another not-very expensive three-star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool. It has an a la carte restaurant that offers packed takeaway. The rooms have terraces, views of the sea, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and private bathrooms. Lastly, there’s an airport shuttle service provided by the hotel.
Santa Eulària Luxury Hotels
- W Ibiza is a very expensive and very luxurious five-star design hotel with a rooftop pool. It has another regular outdoor swimming pool, too, as well as a restaurant and a bar on the premises, rooms furnished in stylish and modern decor, a spa and wellness center, and a designated private beach.
- ME Ibiza – The Leading Hotels of the World is another super luxurious hotel located on the beachfront. It has multiple swimming pools, a spa and wellness center, a beauty salon, a restaurant, and a bar on the premises. Finally, it offers a nice breakfast every morning and facilities for disabled people.
So, Where Should You Stay in Ibiza?
| 🎉 Best Area for Nightlife | Ibiza Town |
| 💲 Most Budget-Friendly Area | Sant Antoni de Portmany |
| 👪 Best for Families | Santa Eulària |
There is no reason to further elaborate on why Ibiza is so popular among tourists from all around the world — the name already speaks for itself. So, let’s do a quick recap of what the three largest cities on the island have to offer and how they’re different from each other.
- Ibiza Town is the capital of Ibiza and the best place for first-time visitors. It’s full of historically significant landmarks, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. It offers a full and all-around experience for every tourist.
- Sant Antoni de Portmany, better known as San Antonio, is the second largest city on the island and our recommendation for budget travelers because of the wide range of cheap accommodations. It’s also packed with great beaches and vibrant nightclubs.
- Finally, Santa Eulària, the third largest city on Ibiza, is the most convenient location for visitors who prefer a relaxed family-friendly vacation on this Spanish Island. Also packed with budget and mid-range hotels, it offers a charming old town and a beautiful marina.
So, with so much to see and do, and countless amazing places to stay, what are you waiting for — book your trip to Ibiza today and see all that this picturesque destination has to offer. Happy travels!